Here is the deal so far:
I can drive, from Waterloo, but I haven't got a vehicle and am not of age to rent one. This is a dilemma.

I checked Enterprise rentals, in Waterloo, and I can get a minivan from the morning of the 21st to noon on the 24th for $ 212.79 CAD. Which isn't bad, split 5 or 6 ways. (This is with 600 km free, distance above that is $0.15/km). If we leave Saturday and return the van Monday morning, it's about $113.64 CAD, base cost.

I'm probably not going, but a carpool from Waterloo is just too convenient to pass up. I'm going to throw in my possible interest, even if it's very tiny and getting in a car in strangers is against everything I learned when I was 4.

Don't plan with me in mind, I'd just like a door open in case I decide to go.

Oh yeah, make sure you have two sets of ID and at least photo. Birth certificate or passport (if you have one) are important too. The borders are annoying now.

When it comes to xkcd meetups, I'm of the opinion that Not Very Good Plans are better, in most cases, than Situations That Result In Sarah Not Being Able To Attend. I do understand your reluctance; I had the same. But I quashed it. Hard.

I'll ask around here and see if any of my over-21 friends are willing to come, but I'd kind of like it better if I didn't know ANYONE there, strangely enough.

I don't have any older than 21 friends in that region, and my 21 year old brother doesn't have a driver's liscence. I think they sort of require one for you to rent...
I may (very remotely possible) be able to find a chaperone though. Slim to none chance, but I'm still throwing it out there.
And would I *need* a passport? Or would id and a birth ceritificate be enough?

teh law wrote:All non-U.S. citizens entering the U.S. are still required to have passports as of January 23, 2007. This new requirement includes Canadians, and others who have previously been exempt from having to carry a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S.

teh law wrote:All non-U.S. citizens entering the U.S. are still required to have passports as of January 23, 2007. This new requirement includes Canadians, and others who have previously been exempt from having to carry a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S.

You don't need a Visa, but you do need a passport.

Actually, you only need a passport if you're flying. Until December 7th, driving/taking the train do not require passports. See: this.

MotleyJesster (12:34:04 PM): Better than moping around being all "I do not need love, I have indie music and a wind instrument!"

so, looks like Ren is flying.
way to go Ren!
if anybody can still whip together a plan for the trip, I may still be interested, but it's gotta happen quickly-like. prices have already jumped back up on the tickets I'd need...

that's right, i pretty much signed up to say i am interested. i am 21 but... i am going for my G2 in august... so there is LOTS of un-certainty there.
it's convenient for me, since Ren is planning to start in waterloo... cuz i will be back at UW for the fall...
assuming no ass-hole prof gives surprise quizzes on the 21st, i am really interested in going... which brings me to another point: is it possible to leave some time in the afternoon of the 21st after i am done classes?

Hey. Hey. If we, for sure, have a 21-year-old who can legally rent a car (and, preferably, one other person who can drive, because I do *not* want to drive the whole way), then I'll do some planning for a pool down from Kitchener-Waterloo.

If we can get this together, I'll fork any air miles I win over to the next in line.

MotleyJesster (12:34:04 PM): Better than moping around being all "I do not need love, I have indie music and a wind instrument!"

I've recently discovered that in Montreal, one only needs to be 18 to rent a car. So, (heaven forbid) should you not get your G2, or if anything else happens, we can probably still make this happen with only a few convoluted detours.

meta wrote:I've recently discovered that in Montreal, one only needs to be 18 to rent a car. So, (heaven forbid) should you not get your G2, or if anything else happens, we can probably still make this happen with only a few convoluted detours.

w00t for the Quebecois way! so you guy can drink when you are 18 and now rent a car too? That's an interesting combination...
but that's definitely a possibility if you want to do the detour ( i am assuming you are willing to drive down from Montreal?)

I'm willing, but unable; I only have my G1 and a few rather miserable driving lessons under my belt. If I can find a willing friend, I'm in.

Alternately, bus tix from Toronto to Montreal are $10 if you book nowish, so a very last resort could involve some absurd combination of bus-riding and car-renting and detour-taking? ...I'm rooting for 21+ Waterloo-dweller!

! wrote:news is, I all of a sudden don't have a ride up from London should I make it out, which is looking less and less likely. I wonder what it costs to bus from London to Montreal?

Pretty cheap, especially if you book early, and travel at odd times; probably less than $100 return trip?

Why London to Montreal, though? I was planning to bus from Montreal to Waterloo to get in on the carpool (and, y'know, say hi to the family and such.) But if the rendezvous point was in Mtl, I'd be ever so pleased. We could rent a car here, after all...and it IS closer to Cambridge than Wloo is...*grin*

Devilsaur wrote:I'm going to throw in my possible interest, even if it's very tiny and getting in a car in strangers [sic] is against everything I learned when I was 4.

:? I'm also a poor student who probably can't afford hotel rooms...

ps. I can't believe I can't nest a size in a size.pss.

shinybaby wrote:it'll be fabulous to hear a few 'ehs' in amongst the crowd!

I read this as environmental health sciences. I need to say 'eh' more often! And stress the pronunciation of about (instead of the silly american abawt). I forget the Canadian way to pronounce schedule though.

I was thinking about zipping down to Boston on a plane for that weekend, but I do have someone that I wouldn't mind visiting in Southern Ontario on my way there (i.e. I could fly to Ontario, then drive to Boston). I really haven't totally thought it through yet though.